Outbreak
by XxLostGirlXx
Summary: Bella is searching for someone, but looking for them isn't as simple as it used to be. Not when the world as she knew it has completely changed. Will Bella be able to brave the dangers that lurk outside, and find the love that she let slip through her fingers all those years ago? All human. Alice/Bella pairing.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer - I do not own Twilight or any of the characters. This will be the only disclaimer I will be putting up for this story.

I

Looking out my dirt covered window I observe the mass of people from my twelfth floor apartment building. I watch with fascination as they huddle together for some semblance of warmth. I smile despite the obvious severity of the situation; as a small boy picks up a pile of snow, squashing it into a tight ball before throwing it at a unsuspecting grown up. The man turns around and quickly scoops the boy up in his arms with a bright smile on his lips, he swiftly bends down and gets his own handful of snow and rubs it in the boy's face. They laugh together for a short while before a guard, dressed in an all red uniform comes up behind them and nudges them along.

The smile slips from my face and I turn around and head into my bathroom, grabbing a box of matches I strike one against the side of it and light the candle that's resting on my unused sink. I watch the flicker of the flame as it lights up the small and dingy room. The blue wallpaper has long since faded and peeled, the tiles are now covered in years' worth of grime, the bath tub and sink are yellowed and rusted; but I don't even notice it anymore. Most houses and apartments are now in this derelict state. I mean when money is no longer of any value, when all the stores that used to supply the essentials are now nothing but a distant memory; who has the means to have a nice place to live like before.

Glancing at my appearance in the cracked mirror, I note that I still look like I haven't been asleep in days, which in essence is true. Ever since this happened myself and I'm sure everyone else hasn't been able to have a peaceful night's sleep. However recently for me the nightmares plague me every time my eyes flutter shut.

I shake my head to rid me of those frightful images and deftly pull my hair into a tight ponytail before splashing my face with water from my basin.

With that I walk out and quickly dress in a warn pair of blue wash jeans, a baggy black t-shirt, and a thick, green winter coat. I walk into the kitchen and search the bare cupboards for any food that I might have missed, when I come up empty my stomach grumbles in protest. Sighing I walk to the front door and jam my feet into my boots in a huff _'no goddamn food yet again' _I think to myself as I head down the stairs of the building.

I quickly join the throng of people heading into the city for the day, it's eerily silent despite the sounds of shuffling feet. Nobody takes their time out of the busy day to speak to one another anymore, I mean what's the point when you have nothing meaningful to talk about anyway. I rub my hands together as they start to go numb, blowing into them whilst I watch people veering out of our group to join the long line for rations "Jesus I swear it gets colder everyday" I voice I recognise suddenly says from beside me.

"Maybe you should wrap up a bit more" I say whilst stuffing my hands into my pockets, I glance over at my friend of three years Kadin. She has natural blonde hair that flows easily; even now despite us not having much except a pair of scissors to maintain it. Her life full blue eyes and easy going smile is what made me first notice her, she has that take no shit demeanour which I've always looked for in people.

"I would if I had anymore clothes to put on me" she replies with a nudge of my shoulder "which is why I'm out here freezing my ass off for actually" she adds a couple of seconds later.

"Mmm" I question trying to fain interest, I already have an inclining as to what she's going to do.

"Carlise spoke to Aro last night about us running low on supplies" she whispers so that nobody can overhear us "we are heading out this morning and you know there is always a spot with your name on it"

"I have a job Kadin"

"Working in that awful mine is no job, especially not for someone like you" she argues as she grabs me by the arm and steers me into an abandoned building "seriously Bella you need this, I can tell just by looking at you"

"I'm not going back out there"

"What, so your just gonna stay in here for the rest of your life" she fumes, sighing I walk away from her and head over towards one of the walls that's covered in worn pictures of New York City. I know that this building use to be a grand hotel, I would walk past it every day whilst I worked, The Plaza Hotel was something I wish I could have experienced in its heyday.

"It's safe in here" is all I say in response.

"Says who, just because you have that big ass wall surrounding you doesn't mean it's any safer in here than out there" she growls, I hear her footsteps approach me and she jabs a finger at the photo I'm looking at "this isn't about it being safer in here at all is it" she questions when I just stand there staring ahead in silence "this is about her"

"Don't you dare" I fume, turning around to push her away from me "I'm not going and that's it so just back off yeah" and with that I brush past her and back out into the brisk morning. I fight off the images of her as I rush towards work.

Fourteen hours later I'm on the underground train heading back towards the city, knowing that this is going to be a long journey I lay my head against the window and close my eyes. The sound of the rickety old train thrumming on the track, with the gentle sway of the cab has me drifting off to sleep in minutes;

"_What are we going to do?" a panic stricken voice asks me. Trying to control my features I look over at her and hold my hand out. _

"_We are gonna stay together" she sighs with a nod of her head, her hand reaching out towards mine. I feel her fingertips delicately touch my skin just before she is violently pulled away from me._

"_BELLA" _

I jolt awake when the train comes to a sudden stop, rubbing my face I stand up with everyone else and tiredly make my way up the makeshift stairs towards the surface. I roll my aching shoulders whilst looking around at the mass of workers, who are hurrying towards the stalls that have been set up especially for the rush of people coming off the train with their pockets full of food slips. I ease my way through the crowd and head towards the one place that reminds me of how things use to be. Walking down the dingy alleyway I pass drunk people passed out on the pavement, oblivious to everything around them. With a determined look on my face I head into the bar with the intention of getting just as rat arsed as them.

"Bella" Gus greets as I prop myself up against the bar "usual" he says whilst already filling me glass of his home brew.

"Depends on how good this batch is" I mutter with a grin as he slides the glass towards me. I pick it up and tilt it from side to side to check the consistency before taking a small sip "mmm…its good" I say with an appreciative nod of my head.

"I would hope so I've been brewing that keg for weeks"

"Still not gonna tell me your recipe" I question as I look in the stain covered mirror behind him as the door swings open and a bunch of youthful looking people walk in.

"You keep me in business Bella, telling you the recipe will likely shut me down" he chides before pointing towards the three youths "you three have any I.D"

"We lost them" a pimple faced boy says.

"What all three of you" he asks with a frown "you think I was born yesterday"

"Honestly sir, they were stolen"

"Well I suggest you report it to the guards but until then I'm not serving you without those I.D's" I watch with a smirk as one of them opens his mouth to say something before obviously thinking better. He nudges the pimple faced youth and mutters something in his ear and all three of them head back out without another word.

"Bloody kids these days"

"Cant blame them really, they have nothing better to do" I answer taking another drink.

"Yeah I guess…what can I get you sir" he says heading over to serve another customer. With that I pick up my glass and head towards the table hidden away in the darkest corner of the bar. Gus owned this bar well before this all happened, he still tries to keep it as clean and presentable as it once was, but with years of damp and nobody to help him his beloved bar had come under many challenges. Still that hasn't stopped people from flocking here, Gus's home brew is the best in the city.

What seems only minutes later Gus is at my table telling me its calling time "I'll no doubt see you tomorrow" he jokes as I step out into the brisk early morning air.

"No doubt you will"

"Billy is throwing a poker night this weekend if your interested"

"I'll let you know, see you later Gus" I mutter as I walk down the alleyway which is now completely empty bar for the few rats that I disturb. I watch as they scuttle away from the noise of my boots dragging across the ground. It always been a mystery as to why animals were never infected when the virus broke out, apparently Boston was the closest to finding out, but before they could finish their work there was a breach in security and we heard nothing more from them after that.

Walking into my lifeless apartment I undress quickly and fall down onto the bed, I try and fight sleep for as long as possible before my eyes steadily flutter shut.


	2. Chapter 2

II

I wake up with a start from the sound of persistent rapping on my door. Groaning I climb out from underneath the covers and shiver from the freezing cold "Yeah I'm coming!" I shout when the person doesn't seem to be stopping. I quickly pull on my jeans and head towards the door.

"About time" Kadin mutters as she pushes past me without waiting for permission to enter.

"Come right in" I say sarcastically as I slam the door behind her.

"I will thanks" shaking my head I follow her towards my small kitchen and watch for a second as she unpacks a bag of food onto the counter. I would tell her to leave but seeing all the food she must have just brought made my stomach rumble painfully.

"Thought you could do with a good breakfast to help you with that permanent hangover you've got"

"Ha ha" I mutter sarcastically as I grab a cup and pick up the glass bottle of milk she's brought along, I fill the cup and quickly down it before pouring one for her "why are you really here Kadin"

"Like I said you need feeding" she answers whilst lighting my makeshift stove, which is just one of those old camping stoves. The gas cylinders cost a fortune so I very rarely use it. When the flame comes to life she grabs a pan and puts the smallest amount of butter into it before turning to face me "you look like shit" she says bluntly as she looks me up and down, and I note that her eyes linger a fraction too long on my barely covered breasts.

"Gee thanks" is all I say in response before turning away and heading into my bedroom. Now don't get me wrong, Kadin is a very pretty woman and many people would give their right arm to spend a night with her. But after everything I cant bring myself to be with anyone but her, that's not to say Kadin and me have never kissed; drunkenly I might add, but I stopped it before it went too far.

I re-enter the kitchen five minutes later freshly dressed, to sound of bacon sizzling in the frying pan "I brought this fresh this morning so you better eat it"

"I haven't eaten in almost two days Kadin, I'd eat the pig if it was here" I hear her tut but I just ignore her and take the loaf of bread out of the bag. I glance up at her every now and then and I have known her long enough to know that she is just itching to say something. She's waiting though, trying to lead me into a false sense of security.

"Is it good?" she asks as we eat our bacon sandwiches, she's watching me like I'm some sort of fascinating animal at a zoo.

"Could use some tomato ketchup" I chide before backtracking when she gives me a 'don't fuck with me look' "its good, thanks I haven't eaten this well in ages"

"For someone who works in that mine all the time you don't seem to be doing so well for yourself" ah here we go, we are now getting down to the real reason she is here.

"I'm doing fine" I say with a clenched jaw.

"That's not what it looks like from the outside" she resorts before taking another bite out of her sandwich.

"And how exactly does it look from the outside?"

"Like your struggling, you work in that mine all day and then drink yourself into oblivion at night"

"Well thank you for your concern and the food but if this is all you've come for then I'd like you to leave" I stand abruptly but she just sits there looking up at me. Her eyes staring back into mine "Kadin"

"Bella" scoffing I turn my back and walk out of the kitchen to the living room; if you can even call it that, all it consists of is an old sofa and a chipped wooden coffee table. I sit down with a huff and grab the whiskey bottle off the table and fill the glass that's still there from last night. I down the drink in one just as she enters the room and sits beside me "Carlisle would take you back like that" she says clicking her fingers together "and you know that Edward and me miss having you there"

"I'm not going back out there" is all I say in response.

"She's gone Bella"

"Don't you think I know that Kadin!" I fume whilst kicking the table angrily, the glass falls to the ground and smashes, but luckily the whisky bottle just tips over on the table and Kadin manages to catch it "I remember it like it was yesterday, I replay the exact moment she was taken over and over, so don't treat me like I'm an idiot"

"That's not what I'm trying to do, she wouldn't want you wasting your life like this" I pinch the bridge of my nose to stop myself from completely blowing up on her.

"How the hell would you know what she would want? You didn't even know her"

"I knew her for almost a year Bella" I scoff again and shake my head with a laugh "what's funny?"

"You knew her? You despised her. The whole time you were just trying any way to get into my bed"

"That's low" is all she says under her breath, and she is right it is low but whenever someone brings her up I go on the defensive because I don't want to admit the truth.

"Low but true right?" I take the bottle from her whilst she just stares down at the floor. I lean back and swig from the bottle as she continues to stay quiet. I pushed her too far and I know that, I also know that she harbors more feelings for me than we both like to admit. Me mentioning her emotions like they are something I have trod in was probably the worst thing I could do.

"We are heading out in two days, if you change your mind be there at seven" she instructs with a voice as cold as stone, and with that she stands and leaves me alone with just the whisky bottle to keep me company.

"Just the way we like it huh?" I mutter as I take another drink. Guess I'm not going into work today. That's ok though, its not like I'm going to get fired when they need more people than they have to run the mine. One day wont hurt.

XXX

At around midday I get up from my seat and decide that I would much rather have a drink down at Gus's, god knows I could do with one of his ciders. Grabbing my coat I head out into the empty streets and stagger towards the pub. The only people around are guards and a few small kids playing in the snow. Everyone is either already at work or school.

Our sector, as people like to call it houses just over seven thousand people, when the world went to shit it started out in small states in the middle of nowhere. I guess New York was clued into the fact that this virus wasn't going away, so they employed every available person to build a great wall around downtown. They had only just finished it when the virus hit and even then they didn't manage to get everyone inside. They had soldiers stationed outside checking people to see if they were infected, the CDC had released this device that checked your pupil dilation, which rapidly changed in the early stages of the virus. Something to do with the pigment, I could never get my head around it. Anyway you can imagine that the process was slow going, the virus spread so quickly that it soon reached the wall and they were forced to close the gates on thousands of people.

Luckily for me I was Sergeant within the police force so I had a priority card, I was able to get my girlfriend and mother inside as well. Unfortunately my mother died months after from a heart attack, and my girlfriend, well she died too.

I enter the pub and the doorbell above the door signals my presence to Gus, I guess he could tell just from my face that today is one of those days, because he doesn't ask questions he just pours me a drink "Not working?"

"Day off" I say taking a drink "so this poker night, what's the buy in"

"Five food stamps, you entering?"

"How many people you have so far?"

"Four, you'll be the last if your in" twenty food stamps could feed me for almost two weeks easily. I wouldn't have to work and I could spend all those days in Gus's good company.

"Yeah I'm in"

"So Kadin came by last night just after you left" he says whilst scrubbing a glass with an old dirty rag "she was asking about you"

"I've just had her around at my place as well" I mutter as I swirl my drink around the glass. Just cant get away from her today can I.

"She seemed worried about you, have to say I am too"

"Gus please" I beg.

"No Bella, as much as I enjoy your custom you have to see that this is just spiraling out of control. You're in here every night and I'm sure your drinking whilst your at home" finishing off my drink I stand up and get ready to leave.

"Which is exactly where I'm going now"

"No. What sort of friend would I be Bella if I let you do this to yourself?" I watch warily as he takes a deep breath "your not welcome in here anymore until you get yourself under control"

"You're baring me!"

"For your own good" he rebukes in defense.

"You know there are plenty of pubs around here" I resort childishly.

"None that will let you off with a tab like I do. Kadin said your welcome back anytime Bella, it might be good for you to at least give it a go" he shouts after me as I walk out the bar. Goddammit what am I going to do now, the bars around here are way too expensive and like Gus said, none of them know me well enough to start a tab. After food and rent I wouldn't probably have enough for a drink.

This is down to Kadin, it has her dirty work written all over it. She knows that this will mean I need more tokens, more tokens means more work, more work means going back to Carlisle. Well she wont win, I can survive without drinking. Even as I think it I know that it's impossible.


End file.
